This invention relates to compositions for photopolymerizable coatings forming cosmetic films that are especially useful for human and animal nail coatings. Such compositions are capable of free radical addition or cation cure reactions with unsaturated ethylenic pendant groups on compounds upon exposure to actinic radiation in the presence of a photoinitiator.
Ultra-violet radiation (UV) is the most conventional form of actinic radiation used to cure gels in this art, however, visible light curing systems are also known. Professional nail technicians most typically apply UV curable gels designed for sculpting nails. Such UV-curable gels are usually composed of acrylic or methacrylic monomers and oligomers in a gel-like state that requires curing under a UV lamp. Such nail finishes can be applied directly to natural fingernails or toenails, or alternatively can be applied to nail extensions bonded to fingernails. In many cases, the artificial nails are coated with conventional nail polish after they are cured.
There has been a strong movement to design environmentally friendly chemical compositions. In the field of nail polishes and nail coating compositions, there have been no commercially available compositions which are marketed as being environmentally friendly.
It is an object of this invention to provide a nail coating composition which has properties which are either comparable to or superior to existing commercial radiation curable nail coating compositions.